The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-09-06
THEIR AWFUL FATE.
One Hundred and Fifty Peo-
pie Burned to Death.
IN A THEATRE AT EXETER
Actors and Actresses Lose Their All
Soul Chilling sights and Scenes
The Frantic Rush.
The Theatre Horror.

LONDON, September ga theatre. at
Exeter took fire this evening during the
performance of Romary Rye. The oc-
cupants of the pit, after an awful strug
gle, escaped, but many of them were
greatly injured. There Was only one
exit from the gallery, and the crush
there was terrific. Scores were trodden
under foot and suffocated. A fire es-
cape was brought to a window and
many inside were rescued Sixty corpses
have been removed. The mortality
is estimated at 100.
The fire blazed 6ercely, lighting up
the whole city. People were seen
hocking to the scene in thousands, in
quiring for friends. The scene inside
the theatre, when the fire broke out,
was an aTful one. Some men implored
the audience to be calm, but it was i'm
possible TO check the frantic rush. The
theatre hose was brought into use in
few minutes, but the water had little
effect on the flames. The actors and
actresses were taken from the windows
with the aid of ladders. They lost
everything except what they wore at
the time. Up to the present time 100
bodies have been recovered. They are
almost unrecognizable.
The structure burned was the The
atre Royal. 1t was built after the latest
designs, and was deliberately finished,
being considered one of the prette n
the kingdom. There was a full house
to night, and everything was all right
until the end of the third act, at 1890,
when the drop fell, and in a moment
the whole stage was mass of flames.
A wild panic ensued. Many jumped
from the Verandahs and windows and
were injured; others were rescued with
the aid of ladders from the verandahs.
Thirty injured survivors have been
taken to the hospitals. The fire burned
throughout the night. The search for
bodies proceeds slowly. In many cases
every shred of clothing is burned off,
There are various reports as to the
origin Of the FIRE. 1t is only certain
that flames broke out in the scenery
Shutters department. TDose who es-
capped say that the special exit was
properly opened. The fire brigade ar
rived five minutes after the breaking
out of the flames, but the efforts of the
firemen were without avail. There
were several thrilling rescues. A
majority of the victims were
men and boys. About thirty
women were burned. When the fire
started the drop scene was lowered to
prevent draughts. Some of the actors
opened the door to escape, causing the
fire to burst through the drop scene
and to ignite the gallery. The flames
overlook the people who were wedged
in an immovable mass and roasted them
to death. Many who were rescued
alive, died soon after being brought out
of the burning building. The occupants
of the dress circle escaped without seri-
GUS harm. A telegram from Exeter,
at o'clock this morning, SAYS:
the fire is under control. The people
are distracted with anxiety and are
standing about the streets in
the neighborhood of the theatre
in search of friends who at
tended last nights performance.
The hospitals are besieged by anxious
inquirers for friends. Twenty badly
burned persons who were admitted to
the hospital died a few minutes after
they were received.